Today I got lost, had a lunch in a cemetery and drank 5 litres of water.

It may be a regional policy as, while the route out of Vallet was very short of signs, in Clisson there were none at all. Loads of "Centre Ville" signs all the way in, but then you're on your own. Unfortunately, I wasn't up to this level of orienteering and chose, by the direction of the sun, the wrong road. I was five miles out when I realised, but the road was pleasantly meandering in and around woods, corn fields, vineyards, and remote hamlets - so I just pressed on. By the time I got to Chantonnay I'd added 16 km to my planned route.

Around lunchtime, I passed a sign that said, in translation, "cemetery, and protestant cemetery". It was indeed two cemeteries, one each side of a narrow lane. The former (Catholic) full to the brim with family mausoleum’s gaudily decorated with plastic statues, enamelled photographs, religious icons, trophies, toys, and all kinds of personal mementos. The one on the other side (Protestant) was maybe an eighth of the size and looked grim and grey, just like they do in England. I found a bench amongst the nostalgic kitsch of the Catholic dead and sat with my energy bar and isotonic water. Looking around, one grave stood out. It was a simple flat stone with nothing on it but a small enamelled plaque. It read: "1875 - 1940. Antoine Mouche - à mon frère regretté". It was though, so corroded, chipped and faded that it may instead have said "à mon frère regret". The first might simply express sorrow at the loss of a brother, even if no one else seemed very bothered. Unlike the other graves, there was nothing said by a wife, children, nephews, nieces or friends. Or was it, as the second version suggests, an expression of regret for something done, or not done? There may be a story here, faded but lingering like the plaque itself.

After a blazing hot day, tomorrow it will rain. Down from 5 litres to 2 litres of water and back on with the plastic (nearly) waterproofs.

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Stephen Hetherington arrives at the Bordeaux Opera House

Between 4th July and 14th July 2011, OHMI Trust founder, Stephen Hetherington, completed a 1,000 km bike ride from Birmingham to Bordeaux, to raise money for The OHMI Trust. Throughout the bike ride Stephen wrote a blog about the challenge which you can read here.